Today at Sydney Airport, the CEO of American Flight Airways (AFA), Thomas Snoeck and our Fleet Project Manager Rauldan Jaggernauth, announced the newest addition to the AFA fleet. The Airbus A380 has been selected as the new aircraft, and it will initially be used only at the AFA Australia hub. The first 4 Airbus A380s will therefore carry an AFA Australia livery and fly on selected routes and days from Australia to LAX and Europe. During the press release, Mr Jaggernauth, confirmed that AFA had still on order an additional 30 Airbus A380 to be delivered later in 2010 and early 2011 however he did not mention which destinations would still be served in the SuperJumbo.

The four Rolls Royce Trent 900 engines will each deliver up to 72,000 lbs of thrust, contributing to the aircraft’s overall fuel efficiency of less than three litres of fuel per passenger per 100 kilometres.

The aircraft’s efficiency and advanced technologies result in higher operational flexibility and outstanding economics, with a range of more than 15,000 km and seat-mile costs 20 per cent lower than its closest competitor. The A380 also provides vital extra passenger capacity without increasing the number of flights.

Rauldan announced that after much marketing research the follow routes would be upgraded from CAT 5 to CAT 6. As Airbus could only deliver 5 4 aircraft, we will deploy them alternately on 3 flight lines. Customers will be able to fly AFA's Airbus A380 from Sydney to Los Angeles and via Singapore to Frankfurt. Additionally a flight will be operated from Melbourne to London LHR via Singapore. Thanks to ideal timing of flights passengers from Melbourne can connect in Singapore to our Frankfurt flight and passengers from Sydney to the London fight.

Photographers were on hand as the first AFA Australia A380 made its arrival in Sydney this afternoon.

Also joining the announcement ceremony were AFA's VP Kenneth Deardorff, AFA Australia Hub Director Vincent Thomas, AFA's Fleet Director Wayne Gary, Aircraft Painter Giorgio Nicola, and many of the airline's staff who assisted in making the launch of the aircraft a reality. The entire AFA delegation, as well as members of the media, were taken on a short flight around the Sydney Harbour on board the AFA Australia A380.